Finding Neverland

Background:

British actor Joe Prospero is perhaps best known for his roles on the 2003-2004 BBC sitcoms “My Dad's the Prime Minister” (as Dillon Phillips) and the television version of “My Uncle Silas” (2001-2003) as Edward. On the wide screen, he portrayed Jack Llewelyn Davies in the Academy Award winning film “Finding Neverland” (2004), where he jointly netted a Young Artist Award and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for the role.

England

Childhood and Family:

Joe Prospero was born on September 25, 1988, in England. His birth name is Joe Dominic Prospero. He currently lives in London.

My Dad's the Prime Minister

Career:

Joe Prospero made his television acting debut as young Duggan in the 2001 British miniseries “The Glass,” starring John Thaw as Jim Proctor, Sarah Lancashire as Carol Parker and Joe McFadden as Paul Duggan. He quickly branched out to the big screen with “Intimacy,” a 2001 drama directed by Patrice Chereau that starred Mark Rylance and Kerry Fox. In the movie, he was cast as Fox's son, Luke.

Prospero's big break arrived when he landed the role of Edward in the television adaptation of “My Uncle Silas” (2001-2003), starring Albert Finney as Uncle Silas. He also reprised the role in the 2003 TV film “My Uncle Silas II” and portrayed Vincent Brown in an episode of “The Bill” called “008,” which aired on April 16, 2002.

After “My Uncle Silas,” Prospero received an important role in the British sitcom “My Dad's the Prime Minister,” which ran on BBC One from March 23, 2003, to December 17, 2004. In the series, he starred as 12 year old Dillon Phillips. Costars of the series included Robert Bathurst, Carla Mendonca and Jasper Britton.

Prospero next appeared as young Arty in an episode of the 2003 British show “Canterbury Tales” called “The Pardoner's Tale” and portrayed Francis Dickens in the American TV film “Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairy Tale” (2003), starring Kieran Bew. In 2004, he was cast as Jack Llewelyn Davies in “Finding Neverland,” a semibiographical film about playwright J. M. Barrie (played by Johnny Depp). Directed by Marc Forster and written by David Magee, the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Depp) and won one for Jan A. P. Kaczmarek's musical score. Prospero shared a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Ensemble Cast for his performance.

After about four years disappearance from the screen, Prospero resurfaced in an episode of “Skins” called “Chris” (2008). Later that same year, he portrayed Brendan in an episode of the British sitcom “After You've Gone,” starring Nicholas Lyndhurst and Celia Imrie. In 2009, he played a young Ryan Mason in the third season, episode two, of the ITV science fiction series “Primeval.”

Prospero has also pursued a career in theater. He was cast as Michael Darling in the Savoy Theatre production of “Peter Pan” at the West End. The production starred Anthony Head as Captain Hook.

Awards:

• Young Artist: Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Ensemble Cast, “Finding Neverland,” 2005